How to Think Like an Entrepreneur and Thrive in an Unpredictable Economy

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Nothing is certain. Your job, your company, even your line of work can
suddenly change--or disappear. And no amount of planning on your part
can change that.

The solution, we have been told so many times, is to be adaptable, be
flexible, be ready. But how do you do that? When the here and now is
such a struggle--given work pressures, industry shake-ups, and the
constant introduction of new competitors--how do you carve out the time
and energy to reimagine your life? How do you build a better future when
nothing is stable? It's a tough question.

Own Your Future delivers concrete answers for thriving in
turbulent times. The secret lies with the most adaptable people on the
planet: serial entrepreneurs--people who have started two or more
successful companies. While each of those entrepreneurs is different, of
course, if you look at the way they started their companies you'll find
they share a simple formula for achieving success. Having determined a
potential goal, they then: take a small step toward it, assess what they
learned, build off that learning, and take another small step, assess,
and continue onward--baby step by baby step.

They don't make huge bets or overcommit. Instead, obstacles trigger
adjustments; setbacks fuel growth. Loss of interest or lack of progress
is a chance to jump ship without being out very much--freeing resources
that can be used to try something else. It's a liberating approach to
navigating uncertain terrain, one that buffers you from fear and
paralysis.

Written by a trio of seasoned business thinkers who are experts on how
organizations and individuals can thrive amid uncertainty, Own Your
Future extends the Act. Learn. Build. Repeat. process they
introduced in their groundbreaking book Just Start into our everyday
lives, as a tool we can use to design our careers and our futures. So,
instead of imagining a perfect job and planning backwards (what
positions to hold; what subjects to study), you just determine your
overarching desires and values, and then make small, studied steps
toward achieving them--whether you're advancing in your company or
starting out on your own.

Based on hundreds of in-depth interviews and packed with stories, the
book's proven method helps you tackle other challenges along the way,
such as how to choose between love (of work) and money; how to be
happier at your current job; how to land a new position; and how to
launch yourself into entrepreneurship, should you decide that's your
goal.

When the future is unpredictable, career planning is meaningless. Own
Your Future unlocks a better method for rethinking your prospects,
embracing entrepreneurial tactics, and ensuring your own success--no
matter what awaits.

Paul B. Brown is a longtime contributor to the New York Times and a
former writer and editor for BusinessWeek, Forbes, and Inc.

Charles F. Kiefer is President of Innovation Associates, the firm that
pioneered the concept of organizational learning.

Leonard A. Schlesinger returned to Harvard Business School as a Baker
Foundation Professor of Business Administration after serving as
President of Babson College.

Together, they are the authors of Just Start, as well as popular
blogs for Harvard Business Review and Forbes.

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Order Now!

For single copy purchases of any AMACOM title, you can connect directly to the online retailer of your choice, from the list below, to buy the title you have selected. Most of our links will take you directly to that title on the site, making your shopping experience easier. You can also visit your local retailer, and if the book is not on their shelves they can special order it for you.

Buying in Bulk?

We have very competitive discounts starting at 5 copies, as well as personal service, for bulk orders. Simply contact our Special Sales Department. Call 800-250-5308 or 212-903-8420 and ask for Special Sales. You can also email: SpecSlsWeb@amanet.org